Can Your Phone Identify a Rock?

I have been seeing these kinds of apps really starting to gain some traction lately. Let's put these to the test and see if a rock identification app really works.

Thanks for watching.

#CurrentlyRockhounding #Rockhounding

[taniakapronczai]

About 3 years ago, I got one of these apps, thinking it would be a good tool for identification. I ended up taking out of my phone. The identifications given are not only vague but it also tend to give the same explanation, word by word on different materials that are similar in colours. If there's anyone that likes plants as well, at least the app I had did the when identifying different types of plants.

[manisteerocks]

This is interesting, because I downloaded this app a few months ago. I found that it got about 75% of the rocks mildly correct. Which was amazing enough to me to spread the word. That being said, I firmly believe that this app is more or less designed for the extreme begginer. Put a simple piece of marble or granite down and photo that. Bet it gets it right. Simple quartz, and other stones ppl hiking or beach walking will find this app pretty useful. Now it did get bloodstone right for me, and moss agate, which shocked the hell out of me!!. But like you said, there are so many variables involved in different types of rock, from different regions, even to if they have been polished or not during the pic. It's not the best app for advanced rock collectors, but I personally, ( just my opinion), think it works just fine for simple basic rock identification. Cool video!!..I wondered if someone was going to do a cover on this app some day!!..thanks bro!

[dbmyers]

I think someone should write an app that can be used on either a phone or a windows based computer that would combine image similarity capacity with additional inputs for any data you might want to add to the identification process such as hardness measurements that can be imputed after the user tests the sample. Other possible data entries could include streak color, crystalline structure type, and maybe even macro photo inputs. I would be more than willing to help test such an app. I don't have a cellphone and don't intend to so I'd like to see any such app be usable with already taken photos and on a windows based platform.

[Metalingots]

I downloaded the app. Three day's later I deleted the app. It would show a rock that didn't look the rock then you could scrool down to about 5 different rock's total. They still got it wrong.

[judieahmed]

I use a rock identifier app in conjunction with a rock and mineral book. The app is not always correct but I’m a newbie and can use all the help I can get.

[chriscardoza]

First of all, I just skipped passed an ad for this same app on a site about books and faces, and literally got the notification about your video (which I hadn't watched yet as a supporting member, oops.) right after it disappeared. Coincidence? I think not! I chuckled as it went by, probably thinking the same thing you, and many others, have thought. As I had expected, the video has the evidence Your Honor!
Secondly, really liked the 'ping' sound of the new pointer! Sometimes, even little rocks are impressive!

[adventuresofshadowdog]

Excellent video! I too tried this App and found it to be about the same as you did. Sometimes it was helpful, but often it was way off. Thanks for the excellent review of this App!

[suejarrard]

How interesting. I wasn't aware of a rock identification app, but I'm not surprised to find out that there is one. Your conclusions of accuracy of the app is almost hilarious because of its accuracy rate, or shall we say failure rate. Just goes to show that books and lots of research and testing are still the best methods for identification. Thanks for doing your testing of this app and sharing. You are always a wealth of information.

[SchlomoGross]

When I found the title of this video, I really hoped, an App like this would exist. Could make work in the field much easier. But, too sad, it was like I expected. Really good video anyway! Thank you!

[jimwatts]

I took a bunch of pictures of objects that were not rocks stuff like my pillow and it still identified as different minerals

[alicialifford]

Any suggestions on where to hunt in Kentucky?

[mwilson]

I recently found using Bing for an image search is 1000x better that Google image search. It was beyond surprising.

[TheRogueRockhound]

yeah man, same w/ plant apps.
Field guides for plants/fungi are reliable compared to mineral field guides in my xp.
Thanks for sharing bud

[ostateblazer]

Did you look at any of the 2nd or 3rd guesses? It looked like some of them had more than 1 "identification" (you swipe right on the picture it gives you, which scrolls through the (1)(2)(3)(?) tabs -- and the last one lets you add the correct identification, to help the app learn).

[wisconsingoldrush]

That kind of makes sense. Decent accuracy with pristine samples, but mixed types of Rock probably confuse it quickly. And of course there are millions of types of weird mixes

[randycaldwell]

Thank You for that that app has came up on my phone several times I keep deleting it I'd didn't figure it worked I don't see how it could.
Good job keep up the informational videos you're helping a lot of people!

[rawkinj]

My recent rock identifying app DOES NOT know what freaking rocks i have, i've tried with about 50 rocks...depending on lighting, shadows, clarity, complexity of specimen etc Cheers! Nice Pointer!

[RockHoundingAdventures]

I’m glad that you made this video and posted it publicly. That app has been recommended to me so many times and I just didn’t see how it would actually identify since rocks can be so hard to identify with their being so many different types. Thanks for sharing.. from this video it seems to work exactly how I expected it was.

[PhoenixRisen]

I had a feeling that it would work best for materials that I can identify without it. An image gives no info regarding weight or hardness, both of which are important clues.

[RagnarRocks]

Sweet pointer! Yeah, tech not good enough yet.